Turtles and Fish

So its been a wonderful week! The 31st of August we met with our Stake President and he extended the challenge "Every lesson be a member present lesson." Now, we're not going to knock on a door and be like, "Well we can't teach you a lesson because we don't have a member present so can we come back later?" But for all followup lessons we need to have a member and let me tell you... It's been amazing! For example, we had Sister Baldwin at a lesson with our Investigator Eve. Eve again went off on a soapbox and was talking about the government and the world and speculations she talked for a good 10 minutes and all the while I am trying to interrupt her without being rude and trying to think what I should say to get back on to topic. Well, Sister Baldwin was able to jump in and say, "Well that is why we have a prophet today." I almost wanted to do a fist pump because it was so perfect. There was also another miracle. We have been teaching this part-member family. In fact that was the Fulertons (in the e-mail before). This week we brought a male member and Jim, Christine's husband joined the lesson. We were able to pull him from the former investigator pile and add him to the active investigator pile.

I can tell you it's been pretty amazing! So instead of extending a challenge at the end of my e-mail I am going to do it at the beginning. My wonderful family and friends, I want you to call your missionaries and offer to go with them to lessons. They will be wonderfully surprised. You can then tell them that Sister Durfee in Colorado told you to and they will understand. Will you do that? (I am just imagining you all saying yes.) Okay you promised! I know you will see miracles. Here's a wonderful analogy my stake president, President Johnson shared with us. There was a church well-fare farm the grew grapes. Now, when harvesting grapes you can't use a machine because you'll squish them so it has to be done by hand. The youth of that stake would have the opportunity to do so every summer. Each time harvesting came around there would be less and less youth because it was hard work in hot heat. Then the farm got a new manager and he tried something different. He invited the youth into a big barn and there they ate hot bread and grape jelly with grape juice. The youth saw the fruit of their labor and come the next summer there were more youth and they enjoyed the harvest. President Johnson wants all of his members with grape jelly on their faces and all over the front of their shirts. Now, I want you guys to enjoy the grape jelly. Go out and do missionary work with those missionaries. 

On Wednesday my companion and I went on exchanges with our sister-training leaders. I went with Sister Burnett to work her area and Sister Earl came to our area to work it with Sister Mortensen. It was really awesome to work a new area and work with different people. Then on Thursday we had Sister Johnson (from our ward) come to lessons with us... well sort of. No one was home or no one would answer their door. Before we headed out Sister Johnson warned us that the Bronco's game was on and that she wouldn't be surprised if no one came to the door... She was right... or she cursed us. Its hard during times like that to not get discouraged, but I really try to look at it positively. (It's so hard! haha) 

Now to explain the title. Two weeks ago we were heading to Barr Lake for our usual service when we saw a box turtle trying to cross the road. We stopped and I hopped out and helped it get across. We felt proud saving a turtle that day. Well, our animal saving skill were needed this Saturday. We were picking up trash along the shore and might have picked up a few dead fish hear and there when we saw a fish that was struggling to breath. It was still slightly in the water (about ankle deep). Sister Burnett (and almost all the other sisters) yelled, "Elder Lyberrt! Save the fish! I can't watch it die!" Elder Lyberrt was slightly reluctant because his shoes/socks would get wet. But he went out there anyway and I went out there to help him. He reached down to pick up the fish when it started going psycho. And... Well Elder Lyberrt screamed. Hahaha man it was so funny. We did end up saving the fish... kind of. Because right after Elder Lyberrt tossed it into deep water, it swam right back on to the shore. We came to the conclusion that it was suicidal. Elder Lyberrt was slightly upset that he did all that (and suffered a heart attack) for a suicidal fish. 

I love you guys so so much! Keep your heads up, stay sweet and Don't Do Drugs(: 

Hermana Durfee